About Testicular Cancer

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in YOUNG men. Boys as young as 12 years old can get testicular cancer. All males who are past the stage of puberty are at risk for testicular cancer, especially white males.

How Does A Guy Know?

Every guy needs to be familiar with the way his testicles feel normally. That way he can notice any changes if they occur. All it takes, is to feel each testicle while in the shower, checking for lumps, or changes in firmness, size, or increased number of lumps in a testicle. If changes are noticed - he needs to get to a doctor as soon as possible and get it checked out! It might not be cancer - but only a doctor can tell - he needs to do a blood test.

What Are A Guys Choices?

If a change or lump is found in a testicle, a guy has 2 choices:

Choice # 1 - Tell his parent or spouse, and get a doctor to check it out. Don't be embarrassed - he's a doctor! If it is cancer, it must be treated immediately, for the best chance of survival. Early treatment may include minor surgery and some chemotherapy. Remember it IS curable if treated early! If you feel something is wrong, be persistent in getting tested for testicular cancer...don't take no for an answer!

Choice # 2 - Ignore it. But - if it is cancer, it will not go away - It will keep growing up into the body, into the internal organs, until it kills the guy. It will spread into the blood or lymphatic system, then move into the stomach, lungs, other organs, and even the brain, if it is left untreated. The longer a guy waits - the worse the treatment will be, and the less chance he will have to survive the cancer.

How is Testicular Cancer Diagnosed?

The doctor will most likely want to have a look, first. Let him look! He may also feel around on the abdomen for tender areas or indication of tumors. He should also ask about any other symptoms a guy may have, like a persistent cough, a breast lump, pain, or sexual problems, or trouble sleeping. This is the first step. After that, the doctor should do a blood test, and depending on a guys symptoms, may want to do an Ultra-sound on the scrotum area, and even a CT scan or MRI, if cancer is suspected to have spread into other areas of the body. None of these tests are painful, but they may save a guy's life.

How is Testicular Cancer Treated?

Treatment depends on how much the cancer has spread and grown. If the cancer is found early enough, simple surgery to remove the cancer tumor, or the effected testicle may be enough. If the cancer has spread, chemotherapy will be necessary, and if the cancer has spread to the brain - surgery, radiation, or both may be necessary to remove all the cancer. The longer a guy waits, the more intense the treatment will be.

In many cases, a guy may still father children later in life.

The information on this website is knowledge we learned from various oncology physicians who were treating Ian after his late-stage diagnosis, and from these websites: www.checkemlads.com; www.tc-cancer.com; and http://tcrc.acor.org